Previous research found that older adults with low feelings of usefulness are more likely to suffer declines in physical ability and to die over a seven-year-period.
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U.N. Climate Change Report Approved
A report on worldwide measures needed to cut rising rates of greenhouse gas emissions was approved Friday by international delegates at a conference in Bangkok, Thailand, the Associated Press reported.
The document is a summary of a massive study by a U.N. network of 2,000 scientists. It states that countries around the world must develop biofuels, improve fuel efficiency, use renewable energy, and take other actions to make major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
The world has the technology and money needed to take decisive action in time to prevent a disastrous increase in global temperatures, the report said. Scientists say such a temperature spike could wipe out many species, raise ocean levels, cause floods in some places and droughts in others, and result in serious economic damage, the AP reported.
In order to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit over preindustrial levels, nations must stabilize the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by 2015, the document said.
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Seizure Drug Increases Risk of Mental Deficits in Offspring
Pregnant women with epilepsy who take the commonly prescribed drug Depakote to control seizures are at increased risk of having children with mental deficits, concludes a U.S. study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Boston.
The study found that toddlers exposed in the womb to Depakote scored seven to eight points lower on I.Q. tests at age two and were twice as likely to score in the range associated with mental retardation than infants whose mothers took other epilepsy drugs while they were pregnant, The New York Times reported.
These findings should be considered preliminary because I.Q. measures in two-year-old children are less reliable than scores in older children, other experts noted. This study will continue tracking the children through age 6.
Previous studies have found that the use of Depakote during pregnancy increases the risk of giving birth to children with mental deficits and other birth defects, The Times reported.
"Depakote look worse than the other drugs in all of these recent studies. In all, it is compelling evidence that this drug should not be used as a first-line choice for treatment in pregnant women," said Dr. Kimford J. Meador, lead author of the new study and a professor of neurology at the University of Florida.
Depakote is made by Abbott Laboratories. A spokeswoman for the company said that for many women, the drug "may be the only effective seizure control medication, and that decision should be made thoughtfully between physician and patient to fully evaluate the risk vs. benefit of treatment."
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U.S. Senate Passes Imported Drug Amendment
The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted 63-28 in favor of an amendment that proposes changing federal law to permit imports of prescription drugs from Canada and other countries where medicines cost less than they do in the United States.
Supporters of the move say they hope that wider access to less expensive foreign drugs will drive down drug prices in the U.S., the Associated Press reported.
"The fact is, we are paying the highest prices for brand-name prescription drugs in the world and that's not fair. Let's make the global economy work for everybody," said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), who sponsored the amendment to legislation related to the Food and Drug Administration.
While the idea has wide popular support, the White House and U.S. drug industry oppose imports of foreign drugs. President Bush has said he'll veto the final FDA legislation if it includes such a provision, the AP reported.
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Don't Rely on Masks During Flu Pandemic: CDC
Face masks may not offer much protection if a flu pandemic strikes but it may still be wise to wear them in certain situations, according to preliminary flu pandemic guidelines released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Avoiding all exposure to germs causing the pandemic is the best way to protect yourself. But, if that's not possible, wearing a simple surgical mask may help if:
- You're healthy and have to go into a crowded place.
- You're sick and are going to be in close contact with healthy people.
- You live with a person who's sick and therefore may be in the early stages of infection, but that person has to go out in public.
At a news conference, CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding emphasized that masks don't replace basic precautions such as hand washing and avoiding contact with people who have respiratory infections, the Associated Press reported.
"We are concerned people with think the mask is the magic bullet. It can have a role in personal protection but they are not the only thing," Gerberding said.
Major prevention measures recommended by the CDC include avoiding crowds and steering clear of people who are sick, unless you must care for someone, the AP reported. |
